California Assembly Bill 1383: Public Employees Retirement Benefits

Local 4759 has been working alongside the California Professional Firefighters Association to pass California Assembly Bill 1383 since February 2025.

The passage of this bill matters greatly because being a firefighter means bearing health and safety risks that do not exist in other occupations. While we have always known about the physical dangers that exist in our unique workplace, we have recently discovered increased exposures on the job to cancer-causing pollutants that pose long-term risks to our health. Cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters in America. The longer we firefighters are on the job, the higher the risk we take of job-related injury or death.  

That’s why we must fight to reform our retirement system in California so that we can retire safely. CPF is currently advocating for AB 1383, which lowers the retirement age for CalPERS public safety officers and ensures firefighters have security after their service.

In a nutshell, AB1383 will provide for the following:

• Lowering the retirement age for public safety personnel.
• Provide greater bargaining flexibility for CPF Locals such as Local 4759.
• Address critical recruitment and retention challenges.
• Reduce health risks by allowing earlier retirement from a dangerous profession.

Where we’re at:

• Originally introduced to the California State Assembly in February 2025.
• AB 1383 was made into a two year bill by the assembly appropriations committee in May 2025.
• Considered for adoption by the CA State Assembly and passed a vote (70-2 in favor for the bill) on January 29, 2026.
• Pending Senate hearing in Summer of 2026.

Key Ways to Support AB 1383:

Join the Effort: Visit CPF’s activism page to get involved in on-the-ground advocacy, sign up for updates, and stay informed on the bill’s progress.

Contact Your Legislator: Call or write your state Senator and urge them to support AB 1383.

Share Your Story: If you are a public safety worker or family member, share how current retirement structures impact you. Personal stories help illustrate the need for change.

Social Media Advocacy: Follow the California Professional Firefighters (CPF) on social media, share their updates, and use relevant hashtags to raise awareness.

Special Thank You:

Local 4759 would like to thank Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins, our local California State Assembly Member, who supported the passage of AB1383 at the most recent hearing on January 29, 2026.